Pianoforte

The pianoforte and the strong-piano are musical instruments with struck cords with keyboard, instruments intermediate between the Clavicorde and the Piano of the 19th century.

  • the pianoforte: the piece of furniture with the shape of a harpsichord;

  • the strong-piano: the piece of furniture with the shape of a clavichord.

The pianoforte

The design of the first pianoforte is due to the Facteur of harpsichords working with Florence, Bartolomeo Cristofori. This one sought to equip the Clavecin with more moderated expressive possibilities, while making it possible the instrumentalist to vary the intensity of the sounds according to the force exerted on the keys. The Clavicorde allowed it already, but emitted a too weak sound compared to the Clavecin.

Cristofori thus had to invent a mechanism of striking of the cords which allowed a sound level much more powerful than that of the Clavicorde. He managed to develop it and to adapt it to a case of Clavecin. This instrument was called gravicembalo collar piano E strong from where its name. Put aside the mechanism, the appearance was that of the large harpsichord.

In 1768, Jean-Christian Bach gives a concert on an instrument of Zumpe and publishes in 1771 six concertos for harpsichord or pianoforte.

The first strong-piano, therefore on a square level like the clavichord, was built in Gera by E.C. Friederici (raises of Silbermann) in 1758. With Paris, factors of German origin exerted: Moers, Mercken, Érard. But it is the England which was the most important center: Zumpe launches to London the production of the strong-piano squares.

Change

Successive improvements of the mechanism, a total transformation of the sound body, a concept different from the mechanical reports/ratios, gradually transfer the appearance of a new instrument towards 1820, the Piano: plaited catgut strings under strong tension, system of exhaust doubles, tallies metal, etc

Sonority

This instrument has a sonority rather different from the modern piano. Not informed listeners who hear it with the blind man often think of hearing Harpe or harpsichord.

Works of Mozart or the early works of Beethoven are adapted much to this instrument.

Terminology

Gravicembalo collar piano E strong.

In modern Italian, one uses the term “pianoforte” for those in form of harpsichord, and “fortepiano” for the squares (established on the plan of the Clavicorde).

In French, the old works employ the term with indent: a Pianoforte, thestrong one. The use to attach the terms is not confirmed and the dictionaries show Piano-forte clearly.

Voltaire written in 1774 with Mrs Dudeffand: “a pianoforte which is only one instrument”

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